Hot Topics:

Young Middies fall in 50th renewal

By Sam Weisberg, Sun Correspondent

Updated:
11/23/2012 09:13:51 AM EST

METHUEN -- It all began 50 years ago, on November 28, 1963, when adjoining town rivals Methuen and Dracut inaugurated their annual Turkey Day football series, and a young Middies team lost to the home field Rangers, 13-6.

Now, a half century later, the result was the same, but this time it was more one-sided before a near-capacity crowd at Nicholson Field as Methuen rolled over another young Dracut squad, 41-19, thanks to a pulverizing passing attack led by quarterback Austin Williams.

The Rangers rolled up 423 yards of total offense, 289 in the air, while limiting the visitors to just 138 overall, as Middies sophomore quarterback Tyler Bassett was constantly under a strong Methuen pass rush, managing to complete just six tosses. However, he did connect for a pair of touchdown aerials to Bryant Tuff, and older brother Zach Bassett netted the other Dracut TD on a 27-yard run.

Both teams entered this MVC Division 2 contest with identical records and Methuen finished its season with a 3-8 overall record and a 1-4 record in the league. Dracut ended at 2-9 overall and 0-5 in the division. The Middies still lead the series, 26-21-3.

Williams enjoyed a big day for the winners, completing 19 of 30 passes for 289 yards and 3 touchdowns, as well as booting 5 PATs and rushing for 73 yards.

Receiver Colin Langford and running back Bill Weinhold also starred for Methuen. Langford hauled in all 3 of the scoring passes, and Weinhold rushed for a pair of 6-pointers.

Advertisement

"We have a good nucleus coming back," commented Dracut coach Jason Houston. "We should have eight or nine returners on defense and six or seven on offense. We did have 13 seniors on this year's roster, but most of them were playing practically in their first season."

The 2013 Middies should be built around current sophomore quarterback Tyler Bassett, who compiled 11 touchdown passes this season, with 8 scoring strikes to Tuff, a senior.

Dracut excited its fans midway through the third quarter when Zach Bassett dashed for his 27-yard touchdown gallop, but the Rangers retaliated with another Williams TD pass.

Welcome to your discussion forum: Sign in with a Disqus account or your social networking account for your comment to be posted immediately, provided it meets the guidelines. (READ HOW.)
Comments made here are the sole responsibility of the person posting them; these comments do not reflect the opinion of The Sun. So keep it civil.